The wonder that's keeping the stars apart
by ochazuke
Summary: They were different generations now. One-shot, Pokeshipping, AshxMisty, AAML. Very brief mention of Contestshipping.


**the wonder that's keeping the stars apart**

Misty Waterflower has never seen herself as a defenseless girl. It has been always the opposite image: she knew how fiery and brave her spirit was. No wonder her most famous quote in the League Circuit was "My police is an all-out offensive with Water-type Pokemon!"... That same motto that followed her from Cerulean Gym to Kanto Elite Four. In the ages of glory, all trainers saw that energy with respect - sometimes fear, sometimes admiration. Sometimes both.

But now red has faded into lighter tones. At first, she wanted to dye it, but as the grayish tones covered her whole head, she decided to accept the new crown with a mix of pride and resignation. Maybe it fit nicely with her current status - the new Elite Four still respected their veteran, but young and vivacious trainers' eyes saw her as a distant image, watching them over from the Hall of Fame's pedestal. They were different generations now.

She watches with zeal the firstborn Hayden heir shining on the arena. Creative attacks, passion and a dash of coordinator's grace. She still remembers when he was just a spoiled kid... The boy was now a very fine man and very capable of winning this match against the Champion. She couldn't help but let a small smile slip when her bright eyes found May in the audience, shouting for her son while holding her husband's hand.

Misty didn't get married neither had a child herself - but they were all part of a big family. They were all brothers and sisters, these were all her children too. She was proud of all of them, she loved each of them. She hated admitting herself it took a long time for her to realize such simple truth... That would have saved her from a lot of painful and harmful memories in the past - adolescence heartache was nothing compared to raw truth of adult life. Time doesn't wait for anyone.

 _"Look, Ash... It's Misty! Let's say hello, shall we?"_

It was always like that, while thinking about pokemon, life, love, time... That's when she saw him.

So _young_. Even though his face is marked by time, his gray hair isn't spiky anymore, his new clothes just a bit different. Ash Ketchum is always Ash, red cap, eyes full of wonder.

Benga guided Ash with his left arm, walking down the stairs with careful steps. On his right arm, a small basket covered in soft blankets and a sleeping Pikachu.

The Unovian man greeted his League colleague with a playful tap on her shoulder. She simply replied the informal gesture with a long and melodic sigh, crossing her arms in disapproval. "Sorry, Ma'am... He insisted. A lot."

"That's what I always hear," she doesn't sound sarcastic, perhaps just a little tired. Placing the basket on the table in front of them, she promptly offered her water bottle. They didn't see each other much but she always knew what Ash needed. "Last year you told me the same thing, kiddo."

"Just following orders from the man himself." He knows she's just teasing. He is aware that she is not angry at all. "No water, Joy gave him the stuff already. I'll back later, call me if you need anything."

Misty can't help but sigh out loud again, now looking at the old retired trainer sitting by her side. He is not looking at anything in particular - but he's smiling, as always.

"What's the deal with the new style? Taking inspiration from Mr Goodshow, huh? Will you grow a beard too?"

The _emeritus_ Pokemon Master stops daydreaming and decides to watch Misty for a moment. She's wearing some cool-looking tear-shaped pendant. She has pretty and bold eyes. She's a beautiful woman... She has been through a lot of things, you can easily tell that.

At first, he stares at her with an absent-minded face. Before she says anything, to her relief, that expression slowly blooms into a friendly big grin. Her heart hurts and melts in a funny way.

"I like this summer T-shirt and I like shorts," he replied with a humorous tone in his voice. "They're comfy to wear, don't you think so?"

"Ash, you really didn't change much." She lightly pokes his cap and the tip of his nose. She actually wants to touch him more but restrains herself from acting weird. "I'll tell Dawn to find you better clothes, she will kill you if you show up in Sinnoh wearing these..."

"Hmm... I... I don't— _I can't know_." She doesn't notice but Ash feels the first comment more than he thought he would do. It feels like a curse, but he quickly shrugs it away with a quiet chuckle. "Sorry, I can't really know now. Tell me, do you think so?"

"Well..." Misty rolls her eyes, annoyed that she is feeling more annoyed than she should be. From all things that she pinpointed him as the culprit, this one she couldn't blame him for. "I appreciate the little things that changed. There's a Champion challenge battle going on in front of us and you choose to talk to me instead... It's a big deal."

"Oh..."

He doesn't want to, but still he sulks a little and shake his head in a guilty way. "I'm sorry."

Not long ago that reply would make her punch herself and sob until the end of the week. But Misty is no defenseless girl - after a good punch on her face, she won't let it get sour without at least having good fight. Crossing her arms over her chest, she tilted her head to the side, raising her eyebrows in an inquiring face. "Apology refused. Why are you being sorry? I've just gave you a deserved compliment."

He blinks in confusion, honestly puzzled with that woman's unexpected reaction. "...Is it really a deserved compliment?"

"Why are you so surprised it's a compliment?..." She insists, ungracefully, but still insists, no way she will give up. He would do the same. She doesn't know how to be inspiring to other people like he easily does, it is _so_ difficult... That's why she is faithful, honest and ungraceful. "You're a disaster... But a pretty good one!"

"It's funny, Pokemon Masters get a lot of compliments, I often hear that I'm pretty good..." Ash suddenly bursts in laughter, seeing the lines in Misty's face get less and lesser severe by his vain statement.

Pikachu wakes up with the sudden noise going on between the two elite trainers - Ash then gently held his starter pokemon in his arms, mirroring Misty's crossed arms posture. "It's the _deserved_ part that got me. Thanks, I appreciate that!"

" _Pikapi?..._ " Pikachu sensed a familiar and welcoming scent in the air then slowly opened his eyes. He can't help but feel extremely happy to see her with his blurry and opaque eyes. "Pikachupi!"

"Hi, Pikachu..." She open her arms, lowering down her guard. "Come here, I missed you."

He happily rolls away from Ash's grip, lazily spreading on Misty's lap with tenderness.

"He likes you."

She scratches Pikachu's matted fur on the top of his head then goes for that special spot behind his ears. A tiny satisfied cry confirms this is the perfect scratching place, he's ready to go back to dreamland. "I know, Ash... See, Misty here knows _all_ the important things about you."

"You do?" That is not meant to be a teasing question - but once it was already too late to rephrase that, he just went along with it. "I don't think you know _everything_."

"Of course I do, silly."

"Tell me what is the color of my underwear right now."

She cringes. She's not faking it. "That's— That's not important, Ash."

"So you don't know _everything_." He senses the flames inside her eyes flaring up. It's a good feeling. "Got you, huh?"

"Ash Ketchum! That's NOT important!"

They are no longer kids, yet this still happens all the time. Decades flew through their fingers and the lingering connection... It has never dissipated, no matter how harsh things got on his fleeting memories.

He gets it now. It feels like home.

He stops smiling, feeling an urgent voice calling inside his head. "You see, there's something... I've been meaning to tell you."

She feels lighter on her shoulders, heavier on her stomach. Red has faded, but that doesn't mean the fire was completely gone.

"Yes?" Misty feels this is a completely inappropriate emotion. She's not supposed to feel anxious while hearing that Ash has something to tell her. They are not kids, neither teenagers. She's not supposed to feel... Hopeful. "Yes, Ash?"

"I don't think you know what I want to tell you. I've never told you that, I think..."

"Ash..." She would definitely not say anything like this when she was younger - yet, if she were younger once again, this would be definitely the first thing she would say. "I don't want to hear apologies! I know, it's not an excuse, I believe you, I know that you really mean it... _but not this time, okay_? I'll hit ya if you try to woo me this way."

"Huh, why you're upset? I'm not trying to flirt..."

He's blushing, but still very confident about his untold words. Maybe she will be disappointed - his confession is probably not really what she was expecting him to say. But he must say it, that's something that should never be postponed to 'until next time'. Time waits for no one... He learned this in the most difficult way.

"That's right, I won't accept excuses disguised as flirting anymore! A lady like me only will listen to _true love_ confessions, okay? I'm an old grandma, I deserve respect!"

Memories can be truly painful - but she promised him— she promised _herself_ to keep making new memories. This old boyish man would be part of her happiest moments and saddest moments, all together. Being able to joke at her own expense was a new skill - a nice one, right? She wanted to use it more often since it made him laugh. Like he used to make her laugh when they were only teenagers. "Ash Ketchum, if you want to play with my heart at this age, well, I deserve at least a silly childish kiss, don't you think?"

She crosses one leg above the other, resting her chin over one arm. Her eyes are watering and her voice tone sounds so cryptic and hard to understand but, _damn, she looks simply stunning_. "See, I know everything."

" _Almost_ everything, Mist."

Her heart stops for a moment. That name... It's been years she doesn't hear it being called out.

Ash feels some fingers trying to intertwine with his. He holds back Misty's hand with a gentle but reassuring grip.

"Thank you... Mist."

His smile is youthful, not showing any signs of resentfulness. He kisses the little wrinkle on her cheek, unaware this is ultimately more intimate than touching her fragile and trembling lips.

"...This and I was also going to tell you a story but I forgot it. Hehe."

They were indeed different generations now. Everyday learning how to love new things and how to live the next day... Crazy stuff, right? She wants to explain that she's crying because she's happy, because every time he confesses that it kills her (in a good way), she want him to understand she's not angry...

It is okay. He knows.

* * *

 **A/N:** For Pokeshipping Week - Day 3: Doing crazy things for love. Unconditionally love? That's definitely crazy, definitely very Misty-like (and actually, Ash too). Tried to write something different for challenging purposes... So, how was that? P:


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